Lightlark (Lightlark, #1)

by Alex Aster

“Poppy, pretty as you are, all of their horrible views are true. We are monsters.”

That makes a lot more sense when you read the page detailing all the powers and curses lol

The face belonging to the man looking down at her was amused. And familiar, somehow. He was so tall Isla had to tilt her chin to meet his eyes, black as coals. His hair spilled ink across his pale forehead. Nightshade, no question. Which meant . . . “Thank you, Grimshaw,”

Its giving love intrest and also edward cullen

Grim. What a terrible word, Isla thought, worn with pride. Still, the name suited him. There was something grim beneath that grin, a faint shadow that might become monstrous in the dark.

Yeah hes sorta freaky

And Grim grinned even wider.

"grim grinned", thats going to be a toungetwister

It was the first Centennial Nightshade had been invited to.

This is confusing

Azul and Grim were both ancient, more than five hundred years old. Alive the day the curses had been cast. They were legends—compared to them, she was no one.

Wait i thought they die at every centennial?? Why is azul still alive??

Control of nature had its advantages.

Do they grow crops or something??

Jewels were made when great power was wielded over nature, and over the centuries the glittering gems had bloomed beneath the ground in the Wildling newland, rising up eventually, blossoming like flowers.

Wait do diamonds grow on trees there?? I want to live in wildling!!

The insignia glowed a final time, and a girl stepped forward, stumbling ever so slightly. She was the silver of stars, from her long, straight sheet of hair to her twinkling dress to her gloves, which reached her elbows. She smiled sheepishly at them, heart-shaped face going wide, then stood tall. “I suppose I’m the last to arrive?” Cleo channeled her distaste right at the girl. The ruler of Starling, like Isla, was new. Starling’s curse had been one of the cruelest. No one in their realm lived past the age of twenty-five. Isla stepped forward and offered her hand. “Celeste, is it?” The Starling smiled warmly. “Hello, Isla.”

I bet she seems nice so isla will befriended her but then she'll stab isla in the back

She stared back at the castle and resisted the urge to flinch. Instead, she broke through her mask of charm and made an obscene gesture at the palace.

Dont be "vulgar gesture girl" like feyre from acotar!!!

“Don’t worry,” a deep voice said mockingly at her side. “I don’t have any adoring fans either.”

Ugggggg its going to be an age gap reletionship

“I do,” he admitted. “Yet, I’m left . . . unsatisfied.”

Its giving rhysand and feyre!!

That had marked the start of their friendship—two rulers of realms, their lands separated by hundreds of miles, with one thing in common: they both desperately needed to break the curses this Centennial.

Well she already befriended her so now celeste just has to stab her in the back

And just like she did back home when she was alone in her room, whenever she felt anxious and lonely and trapped, she began to sing.

I bet her bestie grim will hear her

Grim roughly placed his goblet of wine down onto the table. “Isla, as much as the blood on your lips suits you, I sense my good friend Azul’s distaste for Wildling . . . pleasures.” Indeed, the Skyling, though clearly trying to be polite, looked ill. Grim motioned for the staff. “Please send this to her quarters.”

Ooooo hes covering for her

Then she spent the night retching blood.

I guess she dosent eat human hearts??

She had sneaked into the kitchens early that morning, but all she had been able to procure was some stale bread, fruit that vaguely resembled mura from the Wildling newland, and a cup of milk.

Its snuck

No, that’s disgusting. Isla forced herself to get it together. He didn’t want to bite her. That was just in her head. Why was that in her head?

I hope thats in her head!!

Still confused, Isla made her way to the sidelines, only to find a concerned Celeste. Her friend couldn’t say anything, not in front of the other rulers, but Isla knew she had made herself stand out too much. Her job was to skate by, mostly unnoticed, so they could hopefully be paired together.

Its like moving around in the line in gym trying to be paired with your friends!! lol

He didn’t know that when Isla was twelve, Terra had left her hanging onto the branch of a tree, fifty feet above the ground, for five hours.

Is that child abuse??

Moon-ling

Why is there a dash between moon and ling?

But the shop had hundreds of clothes . . . it would be nearly impossible to take inventory each day. Then again, the tailor seemed deeply committed to his profession. Perhaps he had noticed. Would he report the theft? Would he suspect the Wildling who had been in his shop that same morning of being the culprit?

Shes too paranoid

She knew the shops that had back entrances and exactly what time they truly closed.

What does that do for the store??

She had never tried a sip, thanks to Poppy and Terra, but she knew the smell well.

Good she should keep it that way

But there was no oversize glass needle. There was no bondbreaker.

Im pretty shure the bondbreaker does not exist abd if it does it would be in the sunling library

Then batted him away, scowling. “Count me uninterested,” she said.

Yeah get away from him hes a creep

Isla swallowed at his dark tone. Was this a warning? Was he telling her that, despite his typically jovial disposition, he wasn’t above killing her if it meant this Centennial was the last?

see, PARANOID!!!

Azul frowned. “There are no Skyling nobles.” She must have looked confused, because he continued. “We’ve had a democracy since I came into rule. The Skylings who are invited to the smaller events are elected officials. All big decisions are made based on voting from my people.”

Yes we love a democracy!!

“Wildlings have developed advanced healing remedies,” she said, holding the container up for all to see.

But why would you need that when moonlings can heal??

Moonlings were the only ones on Lightlark who were supposed to be able to heal, using water. If Celeste’s intel from her nobles and Ella were to be believed, they had begun making their skills scarce on the island. Charging too much. Healing less and less.

Ok that makes sense

It was why it was so important Isla never flinched. Never let anyone else see her pain. It was why Terra and Poppy had made her practice, again and again, until she got it perfect.

Totally child abuse

Moon-ling

Why the dash again!?!!??

“In two days, teams are being decided. Oro will hopefully match us together. Then we won’t have to work in secret. We will find a way for you to get onto Sun Isle undetected.”

isla and grim will definitely be paired together

“My choice of partner,” the king repeated through his teeth, clearly hating every word coming out of his mouth. The room fell away. She forgot to school her expression or control her emotions around Grim. Her mouth might have been hanging open. She might have accidentally shot Celeste a horrified look. “Is Isla.”

Sorta expected

She made a gesture at him that she hoped proved just how much she had meant them.

Nooooooooo not vulgar guesture girl!!!!

Light-lark.

Whats with the dash???

Oro bared his teeth at her. “Are you truly this stubborn?” “Are you truly this overbearing?” she demanded. “I said no. Now leave.” The king stayed put for a moment. Then he got up and walked back toward the thicket, cursing beneath his breath. Good.

I cant tell if he is a love intrest or an old grandpa

It wasn’t until she was done and slumped against a tree that she realized she had been biting into Oro’s hand. It was covered in bite marks. She had pierced the skin in various places. She was too tired to feel shame. All she could do was count her breaths as Oro used a canteen of water and his Moonling abilities to close her wounds.

I think hes a grandpa

Isla pulled her new dagger from her waist and brandished it. “Don’t take another . . . float,” she said, looking down and not seeing any feet.

Lol

And there was no bondbreaker.

I think its on the wildling isle

The heart was not in either location on Sky Isle. Or Sun Isle, which Oro searched himself. It was the last place Oro had said he wanted to look. But on the fifty-ninth day of the Centennial, the time came to search where darkness met light on Moon Isle.

Its definitely on wild isle because its the isle of nature!!

Isla poked her head up to give him a withering look. “I wouldn’t have to cling so much if you held me properly.” “Properly?” She nodded. “More tightly. More securely.” Oro shifted his hands. Suddenly, instead of being loosely held in front of him, she was cradled against his chest. Her entire body warmed from his heat. It was almost comfortable. “Better?” he asked. She expected his tone to be mocking. But it wasn’t. “Better.”

Ok grandpa is turning into a love intrest!!!

Oro turned to the Moonling ruler. “Cleo, would it suit you to be matched so we might search Moon Isle for this relic together?” Isla wasn’t breathing. A roaring had overtaken her hearing. She had to have heard him wrong . . . had to have misunderstood. Could he even change the matches?

I think hes only doing that so he can get on moon isle easily

Oro’s smile was pure mirth. “I’ll let you in on a secret that might explain my decision,” he said loudly, for all to hear. He turned to look straight at her. “Isla Crown doesn’t have powers.”

Nope hes just devious and backstabbing

But before any of the rulers could make a move on her, Grim took her hand and they were gone.

Yes grim eat that up

Grim’s eyes flashed with anger. “Nothing, absolutely nothing, is wrong with you, heart,” he said.

It went from hearteater to heart. Ohhhhh maybe it was hearteater because she "ate" his heart (like stole it)!!!!?

He surprised her by smiling. He placed his hand carefully against her cheek. “If anyone makes a move to harm you, I will ruin them and their entire realm.” His fingers trailed down her face, past her throat, then tugged gently on the pendant at the end of her necklace. “Pull this,” he said. “And I’ll be there.” Isla believed him. She believed only him.

Um slay i guess

The sun was a running yolk, smearing gold and orange and red across the sky, as if desperate to leave its mark.

Why is the sun always described as being a yolk!?!

Cleo must have spun the curses. That was what Juniper had tried to tell her. That was why the Moonling killed him. Had she created the curses and given her realm one to erase suspicion? A curse that wouldn’t weaken her in the slightest? She hadn’t suffered at all. She was still as strong as ever. If that was true . . . Cleo wouldn’t want the curses to be broken.

I thought they crippled her economy??

“One of the places where darkness meets light on Moon Isle was impossible to access without Cleo. It had been encased in a maze centuries before to keep others out. I needed her . . . so I changed the matches.”

I knew it!!